Coastal Splendors: Galveston Versus Corpus Christi

Your Pick: Galveston or Corpus Christi?

Photo credit: Visit Corpus Christi’s Facebook page

Along the Gulf Coast, the Texas cities of Galveston and Corpus Christi are blessed with natural wonders such as miles of beaches or a plethora of parks. And while man-made structures have come into the scene, they’re serving as an addition where visitors and locals can enjoy the sights and tastes of nature’s bounty.

Here’s where you can explore the coastal splendors of both Galveston and Corpus Christi.

Photo credit: Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau

Galveston’s Beaches and Parks

With beaches, Galveston’s got quite the range, with them being doubling as state parks. On the island’s west end, Galveston Island State Park puts you right near the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay and also near wildlife. It’s coastal refuge for birds, so birdwatchers can put their binoculars to good use, and it also provides opportunities for taking in its waters and lands. Visitors can swim and fish in certain areas, and also hike or bike along four trails encompassing different habitats.

The 10-mile Seawall Urban Park provides a leisurely stretch along its boulevard, along with much beach, restaurants and tourist attractions including the amusement park, Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier.

Stewart Beach is quite family-friendly with amenities like restrooms and chair and umbrella rentals, while East Beach can draw a bit more of a livelier crowd.

Moody Gardens/Credit: Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau

Galveston’s Waterside Spots

Galveston’s got some major waterside spots too. Its best known attraction of this kind is Moody Gardens, a part-amusement park and part-leisure/wellness stay with various restaurants and an on-site hotel. Its latest addition is the Aquarium Pyramid, which holds exhibits such as a Jellyfish Gallery and habitats encompassing locations ranging from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, to the South Pacific and North Pacific.

Based on Pelican Island, Seawolf Park has a fishing pier, picnic spots and a playground, but is most noted for being the home of a World War II submarine, USS Cavalla and a destroyer escort called USS Stewart.

Then there’s the Texas Seaport Museum, where visitors can climb aboard ELISSA, a preserved 19th-century tall ship and see an adjacent museum and theater. Plus, Galveston contains a concentration of Victorian homes within its downtown area; they date from the mid to late 1800s. Must-see houses include the Ashton Villa, an Italianate villa that was the first mansion built in Galveston, and the prominent Bishop’s Palace, which reminds you of a castle due to its stained-glass windows, bronze sculptures and exquisite fireplaces.

Corpus Christi’s Beaches

As for Corpus Christi, this city in the South Texas Gulf Coast is also plentiful in sand and surf. Let’s start with beaches. Along the Corpus Christi bay, McBee Beach gets all ages of beachgoers but is still picturesque with calm and clear waters.

Locals appear to flock to Whitecap Beach, noted for its white sands and one entrance to the Padre Island Seawall, a mile-long pathway serving bikes, joggers, and walkers. Then the Padre Island National Seashore is cited as the world’s longest, undeveloped barrier, with its residents being a multitude of bird species.

Named after the wild horses that once roamed here, Mustang Island is 18 miles of beautiful coastlines, beach area, and various fish and waterfowl. It’s also the neighbor of Mustang Island State Park.

USS Lexington / Photo Credit: Visit Corpus Christi’s Facebook page

Corpus Christi – Waterside Attractions

Located just across Corpus Christi’s Harbor Bridge, North Beach has two top city attractions: the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington, an aircraft carrier turned museum. North Beach also has a good variety of places to eat and drink and bayfront views, with the cities of Aransas Pass, Ingleside and Portland offering waterside opportunities like, fishing, boating, sailing, and kite surfing.

Corpus Christi’s Northwest side offers some of the best bird watching opportunities for bird lovers such as Hazel Bazemore Park, where each spring and fall people gather to watch thousands of hawks fly overhead. Labonte Park, at the city’s entrance, offers great views of the Nueces River as well as fishing and kayaking opportunities.

On Corpus Christi’s Southside, the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center provides some urban serenity with floral exhibits and gardens and trails that could lead to birds and butterflies. And downtown’s Marina Arts District co-mingles boat slips, restaurants, and artisans together.

So, which Texas city would you like to see first: Galveston or Corpus Christi? To get your trip planning started, choose from these Trip.com recommended lists of Galveston and Corpus Christi hotels.